1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective sheath for butterfly needles and, in particular, to an IV infusion set with a protective sheath to protect accidental needlesticks from such infusion sets.
2. Prior Art
Accidental needlesticks from contaminated medical equipment such as syringes and IV equipment poses serious risks to healthcare professionals. Even maintenance personnel who dispose of the used medical equipment are at risk. Hepatitis, AIDS and other diseases can be, and sometimes are transmitted by accidental needlesticks from needles used on infected patients.
Attempts have been made to combat the problem of accidental needlesticks from syringes. See, for example, the devices disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,654,034, 4,681,567, 4,740,204 and 4,740,204. Moreover, attempts have been made to specifically prevent needlesticks from IV equipment. See, for example, the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,572,334, 4,140,108, 4,160,450, 4,170,993, 4,676,783, 4,781,692, 4,820,282, 4,834,708, 4,846,808, 4,888,001, 4,917,669, 4,935,011, 4,941,881, 4,943,283, 4,969,876, 5,120,320.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,881 discloses an IV infusion set with a sheath which includes a length of tube having a hollow needle at one end of the tube. A sheath is slidably disposed on the tube and is adapted to be slid over the needle to cover the needle after it has been used. The sheath includes means for locking the sheath in its position covering the needle to prevent needlesticks from the used needle. The IV infusion set is of the type having outwardly projecting flexible wings adjacent the needle and the means for locking the sheath preferably comprise means for engaging the wings. The sheath comprises a hollow generally tubular body having a forward end oriented toward the needle and a rearward end oriented away from the needle. The body has one longitudinally extending slot extending from the forward end of the body toward the rearward end. The slot is adapted to receive the wings to allow at least part of the sheath to be slid past the wings to cover the needle. The forward end of the slot widens to a generally V-shaped mouth to facilitate the passage of the wings into the slot. The sheath may include a cut-out in the body at the rearward end of the slot for receiving and engaging the wings to lock the body in its position covering the needle.
The present invention provides an improvement to the IV infusion set and sheath disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,881 the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The present invention affords an improved sheath construction which significantly minimizes the possibility of improper operation and jamming of the used needle relative to the sheath during the sheathing operation.